The answers you (may or may not) have been waiting for.
A few days ago in my blogpost SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL (FELINE) FICTION, Part 1, I posted a list of questions posed to me and my fellow fiction panelists at two Cat Writers’ Association Conferences. Now, here are the answers. Note, these are my opinion from my own experiences as a fiction writer in multiple genres. They may not be the same as yours since we all travel our own writing road, but I’m hoping these tips may still be helpful.
SECRETS TO SUCCESSFUL FELINE FICTION: My Responses
Fiction has many genres and subgenres. Some writers write across two or more genres.
Popular Fiction Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Crime & Mystery, Horror, Thriller, LGBTQ+, Historical Fiction, as well as Young Adult and Children’s fiction. There are also an unlimited number of sub-genres and cross-genres.
- Where do ideas come from?
They come from everywhere, both imagination and reality.
Tip: Some writers use prompts to get their ideas flowing. There are many prompt lists on the internet, or just look around you, your room, your house, outside your window. Also dreams, fantasies and things we see on TV can be places to begin a story all your own.
- Write what you know—or don’t?
Yes, but you know a lot.
Tip: It’s not always the big things that make your story believable. You may not know what it’s like to be a superman in flight, but you do know the feeling of the wind against your face.
- Creating realistic cat characters. Are they based on your own cats?
Some yes and some no.
Tip: Including your cat in your book can be bittersweet since your book will most likely outlive your cat.
- How do you create realistic dialogue?
By listening.
Tip: Take note of people’s conversation, then remove most of their automatic uh’s, so’s, and yeah’s. For a useful look at how dialog works, turn on your television’s closed captioning feature and read along.
- That pesky first draft, and other stages of fiction writing.
Start, keep going, end.
Note: There are several steps to maneuvering a raw idea to a published book. A first draft is the fun part where you let your imagination flow. This rough initial telling of the story from beginning to end is bound to change and evolve in subsequent revisions.
Tip: Don’t worry about it. Keep the first draft flowing ahead, despite the urge to go back and do major edits. Those come later.
Developing a consistent writing practice is key to being a successful writer.
Tip: Choose a time that works for you—be it 5:00am before work, 9:00 pm after the kids go to bed, or something else—and stick to it. Some authors only write on weekends or at retreats.
- How, and why, to create a believable Backstory.
Write it out, for your eyes only.
Tip: Backstories help the author know their characters and settings so they can fully describe them to the reader. Many authors write down entire histories; others make a list of points. Most of the time, only a small part of this matter should actually make it onto the page.
Writing a series is a different process than developing a single story.
Tip: Make setting and character lists, notes, spreadsheets, anything to keep your story consistent from book 1 to 10 and beyond. Don’t get bogged down in what happened in a previous book, and never give away a previous ending.
- Never kill the cat, and the times you can break the rule.
It depends on the genre, but most readers will be put off by an animal death, and many will stop reading, never to pick up another book by you in their lifetime.
Tip: Think before you take this step. Consider a scenario where the animal is thought dead but is only missing. An old animal may pass on gently if it’s integral to the plot.
“Show, don’t tell.”
Note: An info-dump is a big block of storyline facts given as an explanation, description, or backstory. Info-dumps can be a good way for the writer to lay out their, but that information should then be presented to the reader in a more interactive form
- Can people learn something from reading your books?
Yes, but don’t be preachy or teachy.
Tip: I like fiction that teaches as well as entertains. Including a little-known fact or the meaning of a new word can stimulate a reader’s interest.
- When is that book really finished?
If you don’t know, ask your editor.
Tip: It’s hard to put down that pen and call a book done. In fiction, there is usually a wrap-up of some kind, explaining all the little details not already covered, but some authors cut or condense their entire last chapter. A good example are Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series.
Three additional questions that came from a reader:
– Which genres or sub-genres do you think are under-represented under the larger umbrella of cat fiction?
I’m not sure it works like that. The farther your story gets from your base genre (one of the 12 listed above) the smaller your audience will be. But that shouldn’t stop you or sway your story. Many of my cozy cat readers aren’t interested in my cat sci-fi, but some who would not normally read sci-fantasy, have tried it (and liked it!) because there are cats. Bottom line, write your story and don’t worry about who might read it or where it might fit in the genre hierarchy.
– Do you think there’s an audience for somewhat hard SF involving cats?
Absolutely. The Tale of the Barque Cats books by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough come to mind.
—Do you think people who are generally interested in cat fiction would also be interested in stories that have big cats as major characters?
I’d read it.
The Bonus question, what is a cozy mystery?
The term, “cozy,” became popular in the late 20th century, describing a style of writing similar to Agatha Christie and Mary Stewart. These mysteries, gentler than a hardboiled crime drama, are a puzzle to be solved. The hero, an amateur sleuth who has somehow been drawn into a crime such as murder, must find the solution, and it’s the reader’s job to try to get there first.
Cozy mysteries are character-driven (as opposed to plot-driven). They steer away from horror and violence, allowing those things to happen off the page. There is no sex or foul language. This lack of overt violence, profanity, and sex helps to make these stories, while exciting, somewhat relaxing as well. Oh, and did I mention the prerequisite happy ending? These things are a draw to many 21st century readers, including myself.
For more resources and information about cat writing and writers, visit the Cat Writers’ Association.
When I was a child, I thought I could run with the tigers. I had no fear; I knew they would not harm me. Then I grew up. My conviction faltered, and like the fairies in Peter Pan, without belief, faded into the dullness of adulthood. Still, when I saw the big dangerous cats in all their feline glory, I couldn’t help wanting to touch them, pet them, feel their fur. I wanted to hug them, hold them, bury my face in their solace of stripes.
Mollie Hunt: Crazy Cat Lady Mysteries and more 